The beginning entrepreneur’s guide to a successful Facebook presence

When I first started thinking about launching an online business, I didn’t even have a personal Facebook profile - so I certainly didn’t understand the ins-and-outs of using Facebook as a business. But since I launched my Facebook page in November 2015, I’ve gone from zero to almost 3,600 fans in just seven months.

Using Facebook can be daunting for digital advertising novices, but with its easy-to-use interface and highly customizable targeting options, even the least tech-savvy entrepreneurs can be successful on the platform. Follow these best practices for a Facebook page and advertising that will drive engagement, attention, and interest in your brand.

Start with an engaging Page presence.

Before you start putting money behind your Facebook posts, make sure your Page is professional, visually appealing, and relevant to your target audience. Include your business hours, locations, and logo, if relevant, so that customers can quickly and easily find you. Photos and videos are extremely popular on social media, so share interesting visual content that fits within your industry. I’ve also found that asking people a question in my posts elicits more comments, likes, and shares.

But Facebook pages aren’t just “set it and forget it” marketing materials. Keep tabs on what your fans are talking about, and ask them for feedback on the type of content your Facebook Page provides.

When I realized that my Facebook fans found some of skiing content was too basic for their needs, I started creating new videos with topics that were more relevant to their proficiency levels that included more advanced advice.

Take advantage of Facebook’s targeting options.

Unlike many other advertising channels, Facebook allows you to reach the exact audience that you want to reach. If you buy billboard space or run a TV commercial, you can’t guarantee that your content is reaching 35-56 year-old males who live in the UK, enjoy karate, and have a household income of over 100,000 pounds. But this is a possibility with Facebook targeting.

Facebook also makes it possible to create customized audiences for your ads based on your website visitors, people who have purchased from your company in the past, or users who have watched your posted video.

It’s even possible to specifically exclude different audiences from your campaigns. I began with targeting my Facebook advertising to several different countries in Europe, but when I saw that one country wasn’t converting into purchasers, I was able to exclude that country to make sure my marketing dollars were put toward the people most likely to take action on my ads.

Use Facebook as part of your larger marketing campaigns.

Facebook is a powerful marketing tool, but it is most effective when combined with other channels. Use the information you receive from your Facebook followers to inform and tweak your holistic marketing plan.

For example, I use my Facebook page to drive interest to a short teaser video. To play the video, users have to input their email address. I then retarget them with an email marketing campaign that provides them with more ski-related content, like an article on how to pick the best ski boots. This ensures that I’m hitting the right audience with the right type of content, and that I stay top-of-mind with customers who have expressed interest in my company.

Creating a Facebook presence that is engaging and drives business results for your brand takes time and effort. But just a few months and thousands of fans later, I can safely say that it’s been a game-changer for my business, LivetoSki.co. Follow these tips and you’ll be even closer to social media marketing success for your startup.